LIVE: Raised by Owls at Suburbia

Raised by Owls, Footprints in the Custard
Suburbia, Southampton 19/10/2024
Live Review by Mare Grills

 

The venue has recently been refurbished. An intimate space with funky lighting, it hosts bands and DJ nights later on, so there was a strict 10pm curfew – which to be honest, suited those of us who had travelled miles to come and see Raised by Owls and Footprints. We could get back and sleep in our own beds.  Okay, the pillars holding up the storey above (I assume they are structural) means that there is a restricted view for many of the crowd in the numbers that arrived for this gig, but the sound reached everywhere it needed to and the Sound Engineer did great. Price wise, for soft drinks anyway, it wasn’t cheap.  As I was driving home after the show, I sampled the chilled water at £3.50 for a 500ml bottle… Ouch. Anyway, on to the bands!  

 Footprints in the Custard

Fronted by the sexy Russ Custard in his fancy boots, purple leggings and shiny skirt, this Mancunian five piece is always a treat to see.  A gamut of silliness but underpinned by solid musicianship and almost, nearly the best drummer in the world, Sladen.

Russ is great at bringing the audience into the mood of playfulness, verbally as well as with his facial expressions, which worked  perfectly in a venue the size of Suburbia.  

Launching into their performance with ‘Her Royal Horniness’, they set the tone for the rest of the evening with a boisterous show including ‘Party Metal’ and the ever popular sing-a-long favourite,  ‘Don’t be a C*nt’.

Finishing up with ‘Willies are for Weeing’, I was smiling and happy at their set, but kind of wishing it had been a little longer as they have so many more great songs.

These guys know how to party, and my only criticism is that I miss the mankini – hopefully there’ll be a reintroduction when the weather improves

It’s well worth buying their CD’s or downloads so that you can fully appreciate the lyrics, which I find easy to follow when I’m being a grown up and use my ear protection, but more tricky if I’m being a child and going ear nekked.

Discography:-

Oh God, It’s Warm (2007)

Every Hole is a Goal (2011)

Good Honest Scumbags (2013)

The Descent of Decency (2016)

The Fanny Pee (2017)

A New Low (2019)

Live, Laugh, Lads (EP) (2024)

Footprints In The Custard – Facebook, footprintsinthecustard@bandcamp.com

 

Raised By Owls

Following their triumphant set, opening the Main Stage on Sunday morning at Bloodstock Festival this year, I was looking forward to seeing RBO at a smaller venue again.  This is the fourth time I’ve seen this band, and every time they get better.  Ostensibly, the same set that they played at Bloodstock, with some hilarious additions. 

Sam began by apologising – for the absence of his mum (she made her brilliant debut with the band at Bloodstock,  (whether Sam will let her out to play again is debatable, but she was ace)).  She was very much at this gig in spirit though with the Sam’s Mum Fan Group beautifully turned out in Sam’s mum T-shirts.

From the outset I was smiling, they played ‘Ainsley Harriott Advises You to Give Your Meat a Good Ol’ Rub’, ‘The Cult of David Dickinson’, and had the very special guest ‘Glenn Danzig’, who looks nothing like him (still).

The mid-set game show was inspired and hilarious with prizes, which were brilliant, for the winners. 

There was a  Wall of Death between the approximately five Portsmouth fans and everyone else (Southampton fans) and a frenetic circle pit to ‘I’m Sorry I Wore a Dying Fetus T-shirt to Your Baby’s Gender Reveal Party’.

By this time my face was aching and my eyes were weeing.  

We were given a small clue that there would be an encore – it was only a tiny Klaxon and three minute warning message (it was big and loud) not to leave just yet ……. and then ‘Fred Durst’ came bounding through the audience and onto the stage, no bodyguards, no security making way for him, it was amazing. ‘The Dark and Twisted Realm in Which Fred Durst Resides’ was all the fun. And then there was ‘the new dark Overlord’ –  Mr Blobby too

Finishing off with ‘Break Stuff’, (Limp Bizkit cover) they absolutely smashed it.  

I could tell you that the band is tight, Metal, heavy and entertaining, but to be honest it’s the presentation and humour that gets me every time.  The audience loved it, there were so many faces there that I recognised from Bloodstock it was like going home. Conversations about bin jousting and ‘didn’t I see you?’ in the break between the bands just goes to show what an impact that Sunday morning in August had on us all. 

Raised By Owls – I raise a glass and I’ll buy you a pint next time I see you.

Only one photo as I couldn’t get close enough, the tears of mirth made it too difficult to focus and I was laughing so hard I was shaking, so you’ve escaped the dodgy pictures this time

 

Discography:-

The Great British Grind Off (EP) (2016)

Dreadful (2019)

Vol.3 (The Satirical Verses) (2024)

Raised By Owls – Facebook, Raised By Owls: Music

 

LINKS:

Venue:

Suburbia | Southampton – Facebook

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